Nipple-expanding machine



P. MUELLER ANDA. C. SCHUERMANN. NiPPLE EXPANDING MACHINEl APPLICATION min Nov..|'2. |919.

1,415,043 y Patenfd May 9, 1922-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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P. MUELLER AND A. C. SCHUERMANN.

NIPPLE EXPANDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I2, |919- fzZMaeZZer .572507Z zaer/zn. 'am li: Y, yq

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PHILIP M UELLER AND ANTON C. SGHU'EBIWIANN, VOL-DECIT-TIEL, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS T0 ADOLYH MUELLER, TRUSTEE, O'DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

NIPPLE-EXPANDING MACHINE.

misma.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, M3252.

T 0 all inkom t may concern:

Be it known that We, PHiLir MUELLER and ANTON C. SCHUERMANN, citizens o't'the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented new andusetul Improvements in Nipple-Expanding Machines, ot which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to nipple expanding devices, Jfor use in expanding nipples or pipe sections, which have been tapped or inserted into pipes or mains and which it is desirable shallbe secured by being expanded Within the pipe or main in Which they have been tapped'orinserted, in order that they may be locked firmly in position.

The expander which We have invented and vwhich will be hereinafter described in detail, is of such construction that it may be successfully used in connection with mains or pipes, Whichl are carrying fluid pressure. It is designed, Afurther., to automatically secure the proper amount ot expansion proportionate tothe nipple extension `which is being expanded. Furthermore, it is of such construction that it may be readily itted to the Work and the matter ofexpanding the nipple expeditiously performed.

inthe drawings herewith, We have illustrated one embodiment of our invention, and in said drawings, Fig. 1, is a view, partly in section, of a vportion ot a main, with -a vnipple and a corporation cock secured thereto, and the expander in a retracted position, butready lto be brought to an operative position.

The FigQ.y is a sectional view on line Q-Qflooking in the direction ofther arrow.

Fig. 3, is a view `similar to Fig. 1, showing the device in its lowcrmost position ready for the expanding operation.

Fig. L1, is an enlarged sectional view, showing the device after the nipple'has been expanded orspread.

Fig. is la bottom plan view pander shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6, is a vieu7 inside elevation of the feeding device Jfor controlling movement of of the exthe expander head.

:Eig 7 .is laidetail view @showing the 'pra tectingcap for the expanding tool or head when not' in use.

Referring to the draivingsby numbers, like numbers indicating like parts in the several views, 10 designates a main or pipe which has been tapped in anyv suitable manner, as for example, bythe tapping machine illustrated in Patent No. 1,280,813, granted to Mueller/and Schuermann October 8, 1918, andwhich has had secured in the tapped oriiice a nipple 11, with the corporation cock 12 secured thereto. It Will be observed that the nipple S11 is vsecurely mounted in the main 10, but that its lower end 13, lhas not been expanded to firmly lock it tothe main, and it is obvious that this expansion of nipple must be from the interior.

In order to accomplish the proper expansion of the'nippleive have provided an expanding device, which, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises a plate 14 having a threaded socketla adapted to engage the threaded outer end of the corporation cock 12 which, as stated, isthreaded to the nipple 11. The plate-111, is ,coupled by rods 15 to a second plateKA or cross-bar 16, which ormsthe abutment or resistance 'for the expanding tool during its operation.

- Mounted centrally of the trame just described and vpassing through a suitable stuffing box 17 in Avthe plate 14C is the expand-ing tool, which, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4L, comprises the carrier 18, in which is eccentrically mounted the rod 19, having atvits lower end the expanding foot E20. The carrier 18 has vat its upper end ya nut or other formation 21 to receive a suitable wrench, and just beloiv the nut or head 21 a series of lugs and notches or equivalent devices E22 are formed. The expander 19 traverses the carrier i 18, eccentrically, passing through a stuiling box 28, at the upper end of the carrier `andit, in turn, is provided With a nut or Wrench receiving member 24, by which itinay.` be turned Vand `a lock nut25, by means ot which it may be locked in adjusted position-,a packing nut 25 being provided 'and Vhaving Spanner nicks or slots to 'hold the packing of the stating box 23 in place. A

pander, it will be seen that the foot 20, may be swung to the position shown in full lines in 2 and dotted lines in Fig. 5, in which position it will lie within the circuinferential area of the carrier 13, or it may be thrown to the position shown in Figs. 3, 4i, and 5, so that it will extend outside of or lie eccentric to circumference of the carrier 18.

Mounted in the plate 1G of the traine is a feed and abutment screw 26, provided at its upper end with any suitable handle, as 2T; the lower end of the screw bearing upon the nut ot the expander 19.

As thus far described the operation of the device will be as follows:

Aafter the nipple and corporation Cock have been inounted in the inain, the nipple expanding device with the tool retracted as shown in Fig. 1 will be screwed to the corporation cock and if the main be under pressure, as is generally the case, the key of the corporation cock will be turned to the position shown in Fig. 1 to prevent escape of fluid from the main while the expanding device is being installed. After the device has been placed as shown in Fig. l the key of the cock will be turned, but owing to the fact that the carrier 13 and the expander 19 pass through the stuliing boxes 17 and 23, pressure from the inain cannot escape. The feed screw 26 will then be run down forcing' the tool to the position shown in Fig. 3, against any pressure which. may be in the main, it being understood that the inclined expander foot 20, will be in the retracted dotted line position shown in Fig. 5, so that the expander 19 and carr'er 18 will pass readily through the corporation cock and the nipple. lWhen the tool has been brought to the position shown in Fig. 3, a wrench will be applied to the nut 24, and the foot 20 turned to the position shown in Fig. 3, so that it projects outwardly beneath the end of the nipple, and the lock nutj25 will then be turned to lock the parte in position. Thereupon a wrench or other suitable driving tool will be applied to the head 21, of the carrier 18, and said carrier, together with the expander 19 and its protruding foot 20, will be rotated, the projection 20 on carrier 1S driving the foot 20.

It is obvious that rotationof the inclined foot 20' against the lower end of the nipple 13 will spread or expand that lower end it' an upward inoveinent be given of the foot 20, and in order that this may be automatically and correctly donc we have provided the feed member 23, comprising cylindrical cup-like section which is threqled and engages a corresponding projection on the plate la. rlfhis feed nieniber 28 is held between two blocks 30, secured to the plate la and havin@ undercut ends which enga,` a stop rib 31 on the feed member 28,

said nieniber 23 has on its upper surface complementary lugs and recesses 32 to engage the lugs and recesses 22 on the carrier 18, so that upon lowering the carrier to the position shown in Fig. 3, the lugs and recesses will engage as illustrated in Fig. 6. Then the parts are thus engaged it is obvious that rotation of the carrier 13, will cause rotation of the feed ineinber 28 and it will be inoved upwardly by reason of its threaded engagement with the projection 29, thus gradually elevating` carrier 18 and expander 19, causing the foot 2O to have both a rotating and longitudinal travel, which will result in the inclined face of the foot gradually spreading or expanding the nipple end as shown in Fie. t. lt is understood, of course, that the screw 25, will be gradually slacked oit' as the tool ino'ves upwardly or longitudinally.

W hen the tool is fed upwardly to give a sutlicient expansion to the lower end of the nipple, feed rneinber 28 will engage the annulai` shoulder 30 on the plate 30 by its annular rib 31 and longitudinal n'ioveinent of the tool and further spreading or expanding of the nipple will cease.

The feed screw 26, may then be slacked oli", the expander 19 and its foot 2O released and brought to a position within the circumference of the carrier 18, the carrier and tool withdrawn to the position shown `in Fig. 1, the key of the corporation cock turned to shut-off position, and the device removed.

ln order that the expanding foot 20, may, when the machine is not in use, be properly protected, we provide a closure cap 33, (see 7 which is threaded into the recess in the plate 14- which receives the upper end of the corporation cock, thus protecting the tool from injury and doing` away with the necessity of withdrawing the tool entirely within the recess. ln addition to protecting the lower end of the tool, this closure keeps the cock socket in the plate la always in goed condition and free from dirt or other foreign inatter which :lnight collect therein.

`While we have shown a particular ein` bodinient of our invention it will be understood that mechanical variations may be made, without departing from the spirit of our invention, and we do not confine ourselves, therefore, to the details of construction shown and described.

W e claim:

1. 1n a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting franie, an cxpanding tool mounted in said frame, means for rotating said tool, and independent. positively actuated rotatable ineens to eectv automatically longitudinal inoveinent of said tool when said tool is rotated.

ln a device of the class described, the eonibinatl: of a .Supporting frame, a rota table expandingtoolmounted-in said frame, and independent, positively actuated means carried by said frame to effect automatically longitudinal movement of said tool when said tool is rotated.

3. vIn a device of the class described, the combination ofa supporting frame, a rotatable expanding tool mounted in said frame, independent, positively-actuated means to effectautomatically longitudinal movement of said tool when rotated, and 4meansfto cause simultaneous rotation of said tool and first mentioned means.

t. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting fram-e, a rot-atable expanding tool mounted in saidframe, independent, positively actuated feeding means carried by said frameto effect automatically longitudinal movement of said tool when rotated, and a connection between said tool and feeding means to cause rotation of said feeding` means when the tool is rotated.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting` frame, a rotatable expanding tool mounted in said frame, an independent traversing feeding member mounted on said frame and movable longitudinally with respect thereto, and means on said member engaging said tool to automatically effect longitudinal movement thereof when said tool and member are rotated. y

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotatable expanding tool mounted in said fran e, a traversing feeding member threaded to said frame and adapted upon rotation to effect automatically longitudinal movement of said tool, and inter-engaging means between said tool and member to effect rotation of said member when said tool is rotated.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotatable expanding tool mounted in said frame. a tool feeding member threaded to said frame, means to limit the traverse of said member, and inter-engaging means on said tool and member to effect rotation of said member and longitudinal movement of said tool When said tool is rotated.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotatable expanding tool mounted in said frame, a threaded projection on said frame, a tool feeding member engaging said threaded projection and surrounding said tool, said member being provided With an interlocking lug, and an interlocking lug on said tool to engage said member to effect rotation thereof when said tool is rotated and cause longitudinal movement of said tool.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, having a plate adapted to be secured in fixed relation to e fitting., a rotatable expanding tool mounted in "said vframe for longitudinal movement, a ythreaded projection on said frame,a cup-shapedfeeding member having threaded engagement with said projection and having a locking lug, means carried by said frame to limit the traverse of said Vfeeding member, a locking lug on said tool to e-ngage said yfirst named lug and rotate said mem-ber to-effect long g-itudinal movement of said member and tool-upon rotation of said tool.

'10. 'Ina device of the classy described, the combination of a supportingfra-me having aplate `adapted to besecured/in tixedfrelation to a 1itting, la rotatable expanding tool traversing -safid plate,l a threaded projection on said plate, arotatable cup-shaped feeding vmember 1havi-ng stop engaging means: threaded on said projectiomstops on said plate to limit the traverse of said feeding member, a locking lug projecting from said feeding member, and a locking lug on said tool to engage said first named lug to effect rotation of said feeding member and longitudinal movement of said member and tool upon rotation of said tool.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame having a plate adapted to be secured in fixed relation to a fitting, a stuffing box carried by said plate, a carrier tube passing through Said stuffing box, a stuiing box in said carrier tube, and an expanding tool passing through said carrier tube and stuiiing box.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, an expanding tool rotatably mounted therein, feeding means for automatically moving said tool longitudinally when rotated, and a feeding-screw controlling the longitudinal movement of said tool.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, a tool mounted in said frame, means for rotating said tool, feeding means operative upon rotation of said tool automatically to move said tool longitudinally in one direction, and a second feeding means to move said tool longitudinally in an opposite direction.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, a tool mounted in said frame, means for rotating said tool, feeding means operative upon rotation of said tool automatically to move said tool 1ongitudinally in one direction, and a second feeding means to move said tool longitudinally in the opposite direction, and to resist its movement in the first mentioned direction.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, a tool mounted in said frame, means for rotating said tool, feeding means operative upon rotation of said tool automatically to move said tool longitudinally in one direction, and a second manually feeding means to more said tool longitudinally in the opposite direction, and to resist its movement in the iirst mentioned direction.

16, ln a device oi' the class described7 the combination of a frame adapted to be secureL to a corporation cock, or" a rotatable expanding tool formed ot two ec-centrically disposed members carried by said trame, means for forcing said tool through said cock and its supporting nipple7 and means for withdrawing said tool when rotated to effect the expanding operation.

17. In a device ot the class described, the combination ot' a frame adapted to be secured to a corporation cock, oit" a rotatable expanding' tool formed of two eccentrically disposed members carried by said traine, means for forcing said tool through said coclz and its supporting nipple, and means for automatically withdrawing said tool when rotated to eiinect the expanding operation.

in a device of the class described, the combination of a frame adapted to be secured to corporation cock, ot' a rotatable expanding tool formed of tWo eccentrically disposed members carried by said frame, means for forcing said tool through said cock and its supporting nipple, means to prevent the escape of fluid when said tool is forced through said cock, and means for automatically withdrawing said tool when rotated to eiect the expanding operation.

in testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

PHLP MUELLER. ANTON C. SCHUERMNN. 

